In May this year the 69th World Health Assembly met. What were the main points of the discussion on Human Resources for Health?
In this paper we review the previous work that laid the groundwork for discussion.
- This assembly had already endorsed in May 2014 the Political Declaration of Recife on Human Resources for Health a renewed commitment towards universal health coverage. At that time the assembly approved a resolution in which the Director-General was asked to draw up a new global strategy on human resources for health to be considered this year.
The purpose of the world strategy is to address the challenges that the Member States must face in relation to the politics, plans and strategies related to human resources for health and provide support to Member States in moving towards universal health coverage.
Which were the specific strategies that were recommended to achieve this goals?
In 2014, 53 Directing Council of PAHO adopted resolution CD53.R14
Strategy for universal access to health and universal health coverage. Member States were urged to:
- a) On the one hand address the relationship of health to broader social issues. In this sense it recommends that «Member States define and implement a set of actions to strengthen governance and stewardship of the health sector, and exercise leadership in order to achieve an impact on policies, plans, laws, regulations and extra-sectoral actions that address the social determinants of health;
- b) On the other hand Member States should strengthen training to increase job opportunities and improve working conditions. The document also refers to create multi-disciplinary teams of health and to ensure that these computers can access the information and tele-health services (including telemedicine). It is also addressed to include new professionals and technicians based on a new model of care implemented for the achievement of universal access to health and universal health coverage.
In short, the need for health care workers to train in technology advances was highlighted. In reference to this, we are doing our part.
